Worst Christmas Stories: What's Your Story?

Karen,

I don't think mother's who lose their children ever, ever get over it.  My mother cried every day for my sister and brother and sometimes I felt like she didn't really see me because of her sadness. Now that I am grown, I admire her for tears, and am thankful that between her tears she did smile and she did laugh and she taught me some very good lessons: treat people with kindness, never judge a book by its cover, friends are more valuable that gold, and finally, she taught me loyalty and hard work are non negotiable.   

Holidays are always so bittersweet, but I am always happy to bite my lip and smile as my kids and their kids open up their gifts.

Karen, I hope you have a wonderfully happy New Year's day and the days that follow are everything you want them to be and some.   

Jeannie....my heart broke reading this. God Bless you and your sister!!
What a wonderful mother!!! 

Love and hugs....connie d

 These are all such amazing stories. You are all such strong and wonderful women!!

HUGS.....connie d

Connie, 

I think that my mother had as a good a life as she could given the poverty that she was raised in and lived in and having lost her children.  I have a lot of my mom's traits and try to be as strong as she and know that even my mom would not let people walk all over her.  So, when my children were not always as good to me as they should have been, I took a stand and it was so hard, but in the end, they realized that if they wanted to continue our relationship that I worked so hard on when they were children, they had to treat me as good as I treat them.  Sweetie, don't let your daughter mistreat you.  LIfe is way too short for you spend one day being mistreated.  Load up your things and get your life back--send her a letter and tell her that you love her but because you love her, you cannot go on like it has been going.  She will someday be your age and she will need to have a map of sorts that she will get by seeing how you negotiate your life and if you let her treat you badly, she will learn that at your age, that is to be expected…what's worse, your graddaughter will learn that she has a role in life too and it is to treat her mom badly…you still have lessons to teach her.  You are going to be fine and I cannot wait to hear your smile as you get your life back on track.  Your grandbabies will be fine and you can visit them and let them visit you.  Get ready for a brand new life that will be good for you and will make you happy--you deserve happiness! 

Jeannie I had to stop and think about my worst...guess it was every one that came after my divorce in 1975. My ex-husband had the kids on Christmas eve every year. He would call and say he wasn't taking the kids...yeah you got it...kids crying and upsett aht they wouldn't see their dad or Santa's gifts at grandma's. Then when HE had custody of them, he would have the kids call me and tell me they weren't going to come see me for Christmas...or that they were going upnorth for Christmas and would not be able to see me. Ofcourse that always got me upset and depressed for the holiday...but then after he knew he "got" to me the kids would show up afterall!!!! But each and every year the same thing!! Never a happy medium for me or the kids!!

So that is the only thing I can think of that might be a worst Christmas for me. Seems other than that it was always a good Christmas to be had!!!

(((Jeannie))) Your stories make me sad...happy that you DO have memories to cherish though.

HUGS

Judy your children's father sounds like my kids' dad.  Only he never visited them nor did he pay child support.  When we first divorced, he would call and say he was coming and at first I believed him and I would get the kids ready and he would not show up.  He thought hurting me through our children was worth hurting our kids.  So, I quit telling them he was coming and didn't have to see them heart broken.  I am happy that you are on good terms with your boys.  We are on the down slope of our life and our kids will soon see us move from being middle aged to old aged and then they will say their good byes and no matter how difficult the relationships have been, their hearts will have a hole that they will need to fill with good memories.  I try to make every second that I am with my kids and grandkids count for a memory.  I guess it is that need to be immortalized through their minds and stories to their kids and their kids kids.  I still tell my grandkids about their great, great grandmother and grandpa.  I hope this next year brings you and your boys closer and hopefully your step daughter will come around too.  There's nothing like family--even the crappy members bring something--it's just hard to figure out what.  Happy New Year to you.

Hi Jeannie! Good to see you still posting! I have been gone a  long time, but was just reading some of the recent posts and this one intrigued me.

I tried to pick the worst Christmas I ever had,,and it was hard. I lived in a lot of foster homes as a kid because my parents couldnt decided who wanted me,,or who should get the child support.

Anyway, I had to stop and really think through some of em. There was the one when my 21 day old daughter died in her sleep unexpectedly, then the one where my 17 year old son left home, or the one when my husband of 19 years left me with 4 kids to raise on my own. The one where my four month old granddaughter was murdered and it was so cold that we had to light a fire on the gravesite to bury her. Many Christmases with no money or family around,,so I guess I cant really pick the worst.

But since those days I have been blessed to be married to Santa himself! When I was 40 I met a 25 year old man, and we got engaged at Christmas. Got married on January 7 24 years ago, and every Christmas has been awesome ever since. Between us we have 7 kids and 26 grandkids, and 5 great grands. Life is good!

But every season, I set aside one day to have my annual Christmas Cry. I dont answer the phone or the door,,and lock myself away and grieve for the lost children, the lost years, the sad Christmases past. then, I set it all aside and enjoy the holidays. That way I dont burden anyone else with my grief, but neither do I forget the ones I have loved and lost. Christmas is a time of joy, but the thing that makes the joy so sweet, is having known the sad times. It makes the good Christmases all the more precious! :)

Blessings
Betsy

Betsy,

My mama use to say that a good cry is needed to keep us from blowing are tops off.  Well, she was sort of right about that.  She carried a handkerchief tucked in her bra or sleeve and those tears were quickly wiped away.  I, though, am like you; I plan my tear time and it does feel good to get it all over with at one time instead of leaking a few here and there.

 My husband now is my second husband and even though we have known each other almost are entire lives, we have only been married since 2000.  I am happy that you have a good man and that he is there for you, like my DH is for me.  One of the most important factors for happiness and having someone to share the good and bad times with…you and I have the right elements and it seems as if we are following all the rules.  I hope you have a Happy New Year.